From the execution standpoint, he [Ward] unfortunately was having trouble, and the board simply lost patience with a few misses. |
I think it's going to be very difficult for Ripplewood to beat it. |
I think Whirlpool will clear the (Federal Trade Commission). |
I think you'll probably see them move quickly on those things. |
Overall, (Maytag's) competitive position right now is pretty weak. |
The $20 bid was a little bit of a surprise. It reflects a high level of conviction in synergies and sends a pre-emptive signal to other bidders. |
The market is certainly more confident in the Whirlpool bid. |
The market is speculating that the deal will take longer to close and will have more of a problem clearing FTC approval than Whirlpool is intimating. |
Whirlpool has to put pressure on the Maytag board to focus on the superior value of its bid. |